Feeding mechanism for sewing machines



'Oct. 4, 1927.

J. C. RINGE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25 1925 v N v N QM. -1 Hw h 1 v N 8. Hi: 8 WM, 1 v H 7%.,

L \w w Q w Q (53 m w m m w N .n W x I a fi f QM: Mr. INN MN M M m E N 1% 1 1 H 1 Q Q 1 N ATTORNEY 6 R my m0 Mn M.

Oct. 4 192 J. c. RINGE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 25. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR John akin e ATTORNEY .Tonn c. RINGE, on srnnrronn, cou vncrron'rgsssreuon'ro'rnn sruenn MANUFAOQ TUBING- ooivrrnny or ELIZABETH,-1\TEW message conronn'rron or'nnw JnRsnY.

I j FEEDING MEoHAnisM non snwrneMAoHINEs.

Application.filed Fehruary 25, 1925., Serial No. 11,407.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanisms for sewing machines;

and more particularly in feeding mechanisms wherein a rotating feed-wheel is employed to engage and advance the work Anobiect of the present invention s to provide an improved feed-wheel actuating mechanism conveniently permitting changing the speed of rotation of the feed-wheel to alter the stitch length of the seam pro duced by the machine. A further object of the inventionis to providea feeding mecha.-'

The present improvement is embodied in a continuous feed sewing machine, sub'stantially as disclosed in the U.. S.. patent to H. Corrall et al.,.No. 1,414,625, of May2, 1922, wherein a work-advancing feed-wheel .is continuously operated during the operation of the machine and wherein the stitch-forming mechanism includes a I reciprocating needle vibrated laterally in the direction of feed in timed relation with the advancing work.

The feed-wheel is carried by a shaft journaled in a frame which is pivotally sup ported upona rotary actuating shaft carrying a series of driving gears in constant mesh with a series ofdriven gearsloosely mounted upon. the feedwheel shaft. A selected driven gear is locked" to the feedwheel shaftby means of a detachable key, which is capable of being yieldingly held in position to look only one particular gear and is replaceable by other keys each capable of locking only one gear to the shaft. By placing the'substitute gear locking keys in charge of someone who has authority to change the. stitch-length when necessary. an operator is prevented from surreptitiously changing the stitch-length desired for the work in hand, merely to increase production y In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a sewing machine embodying the present-invention. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation, partly in section, of the same machine. 7 Fig. 3 is a sectional view substantiallyon the line wm of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 comprises perspective vieWs of the detachable keys employed for lockingthe driven gears to the feed-wheel shaft. Fig; 5 is a perspective view of the feed-wheel-shaft knob. shown detached. 7 V

v Referring to the drawings, the sewing ma chine shown'is provided with a bed plate 1, the upper surface'of which serves as a cloth plate; Rising from the bed-plate is the hole low standard 2 of the overhanging bracketarm 3 t erminating in the head 4:. Suitably journaled' in the arm 3 is the main or needlereciprocating shaft 5 carryingat one end the belt-wheel 6 and at its opposite end the cra k' c1isk 7, provided with the crank pin 8. Embracing the crank-pin 8 is the aper tui'ed and laterally offset end of the link 9 of which the opposite end is connected in a like mannerwith thestud 10 projecting from the collar 11 suitably clamped upon the needle-bar 12.

The needle-bar12 carries the needle 13 and'is, journaled for vertical reciprocation in spaced bearings, as 14, provided in the sw nging frame 7 15 pivotally supported at itsupperend upon the stud 16 securedin the head 4. In order to impart swinging movements to the frame15 ,topositively x Y vibrate the'needle 13 in a direction'to feedfl the work. thelower of the spaced bearings 14 is suitablyconnected with a "crank-arm 17 on one-end of the rock-shaft 18, journaled in bearings provided in the arm 3. The rock-shaft18 is disposed substantially parallel'tothe driving shaft. 5' and derives oscillatory movements therefrom by the pro vision of aiforked arm 19 on said rock-shaft, which arm 19 is,actuated by the eccentric 20', adjustable in ,anywell known manner upon the shaft 5 tofvary the throw of the arni19. ,f'

Adjacent the eccentric 19, the driving shaft 5 carries the bevel-gear 21 meshing with the similar gear 22 carried by the upper 1 end of the vertical, intermediate shaft23 journaled at its upper end ina'bearing' provided in the lug 24 upon the standard 2. Near its lower end, the shaft 23 is journaled in the bearing 25 formed in the frame of the housing 26 suitably secured tofthe bed-plate 1. Disposed within the housing 26 is the bevel-gear 27 and the worm 28 both carried III with

extend hstfafiti'allyf arallelto-thedriviHg haft 'fijandlis. journa ed f'at'its forward end h bnsh ne. fias t by ec d-i th oep=takrhdiisifi33zij Carried b ithe for '33'a-is T the} bevel-gear 34 meshing imilar- "gear 535 suitably "secure l .6; pumaledfi the housing-33;" -The shaft 36 't- 'it'sfixplaer end; a loopr aker 37 of a.

fespgTlie hev'el'-'gears;i34, are of a V V, iaiw ierehy thef'loopj-taker}rotates'twice 7 for 'each rotation of the'drivingj shaft. 5.

' The, worm 28,-ilponthe shaftj23 drives the worm-wheel 38' secured "upon the substantiallyhoriz ontal' feed-wheel actuating shaft .3 outnaled; in siiitable "hearings provided init e ihousings 26. andj33 andl'fun'ctioning 1 team thejifeed-wheel.40., projecting "through ie/slot l the jthroat} late 41, toengage and T adia ce thework; g irolleipresser fi cafri'edzbythelower end Toff Va presser bar 43 is bin; being ,jonrnaled for endwise movement -rin"'the head i4"and='being'depressed in any 'suitahl manner to cause thefoller-presser is s I w rfiilibidfe eferredi tlo the presentinvenfreSidihQHmre particnlarly in the means edjf Jr transmit-tingthejotar moveactuating shaft 39 to t efee'dwheelijiei v a.

airing;sensa of-fith'ei :machme tepec some reci rociaon of the; needle.

' j series ofifdifferentsize-driving. gears 44 1 45 and {is securediiponthe forward. end .7 o Q h haft by m a I '1' whereby said} gears rotate in unison with the j-"shafiifj 391 :These, drivinggears are held fa ghains mtwementi endwi'se fof said shaft 39; V i ,onefdirectionlb 'aisci'ew.48'. threaded into I 7 19 pivotallysnppoited concentrical y -with Lhosellnio inted upon the shaft 51 upon: the

f 'd' -wheelf'ftt) is afSBI'IGS or different "size er l endorseeri s '30-witliing'thehousing i the a 7 span the vertiealfloop -taker carrying Shaf 36v also 7 f are castin theusnal rnannento form lock; 7 I a a v said wall 64, hyineans of a'screw 65; 1s a Opposed to the feed wheel- 40, said Pressert' 'yleldi'nglyfengage the work. f The con-j l f on },t3l 111S far described is [substantially e in the'prior Patent.N0. 1';414,625"

jictjntinuoiisly rotate the latter I of a fixed key- 47 i hashing 50 fixed' in alstiitable aperture prowheel 4Q isjsecured bymeans of lint-'53, the- -wheel rot'ating with said shaft 51.,

.agside ol jthe frameew opposite to that 'of'the enfgears 54,, and. 56 -Separated sash-er 57 which clo'sely eihhrace the shaft The idriven geaxfsfare each provided Witl1'l'E' plurality of key sl'ots 58 preferably spaced approximately 120; around the. shaft 5 1 ,-said gears being held against movement i endwise of the share-arty means-of aiknoh shaft 51; The knob 59 is partially cut away, whereby ithe" shaft aperture 59" thereof 59 secured by set-screws, as; 60,, upon said merges into akey-slot 61', and whereby akey head-retaining shoiilder 62 is provided adja- V M cent said slot. The shaft 5 1is formed with e khOWnQtype-cmt-ainingj amass of fender, adnai'oiind'flwhich the needle threadloops a slot 63 I disposed longitudinally thereof the inner endof'the slot 63 preferably terniin'ating in a curved wall 64. Fixed upon" bentspring' GG and intersecting the slopes the iend of theshaft 5l i's a guide-pin 67.-

; It is evident that while the driving gears driven gears 54, '55 V and Y 56,Tthe feed-wheel is not drivenupon' rot'ation of theshaft run-"1 '44, 45' and 46am in constant; mesh with the less one of said driven gears is in some man 7 'gears' selected It is however desirable, in r j 7 certain instances; that the means provided 6 -for locking any of the drivengears .to the shaft 51sec ojfsuch acharacter asfto prevent j V I i al.j1nachi11e: perator: from surreptitiously changing the;speedoffrotation of the feedo whe h as fo'r instance to increase production ata sacrifice ofthe Stitch length desirable for the workin hand To this end', novei .Inelans has beexi'provided for individually.

locking a selected driven gear to the shaft 51,'s'aid means comprising separate keys, as 68, 69 and 70, eachprovided with a fiat upper face '71 from which projects a lug '72. The face 71 of, eachkey terminates in a shoulder 73 fornied by the provision of (an offset key-head 7.4-, the shoulder 73 being preferably normal tos'the face 71. Each'of the keys is beveled on its under side at oppo:

site ends of the lengththefeof to provide a restricted spring-engaging seat 75p The lugs 72 of the ifespectiv'e keys are spaced at different;distances.from the key-heads 74' as.

shown -inFig. 4, whi1e the keyseats 7 5 are i disposed at'a substantially uniform distance fromiherheads74 and consequently the tendency of the bent spring 66 istoholda key only; in a position in which the lug'72 whichsaid key is designed to lock to the engages a key-slot 58-0f the particular gear charge of someone having authority to i change the stitch-length of the seam pro duced by operation of the machine, an oper-' length in an unanthoriZed'manner. Never- 3 a a ator is prevented from changing the stitch" theless, wheneverfthe, occasion arises for changing the speed of rotation of the feed 'wheel with respect to the needle reciproca-"f ti'o'ns,'itis0n1y necessary for the authorized person to remove a key from. its operative position by bearing down upon the head '74 thereof and withdrawing it from the shaftslot 63, whereupon the desired key may be inserted. The insertion of a key is facili tated by the provision of the guide-pin 66,

upon which the lower edge of the key slides.

against simultaneously locking two driven gears to the shaft 51.

The frame 49, as previously stated, is plvotally supported upon the actuating shaft .39. The purpose of this: constructionis to permit adjustment of the level of the feedwheel without impairing the 'intermeshing relation of the driving and driven gears carried by the shafts 39 and 51. To effect adjustment of the feed-wheel level, i. e., to de termine the degree of projection of the feed- Wheel above the throat-plate 41, the frame 49 is provided at its free end 76 with a loosely journaled pin 77 into which is threaded an adjusting screw 78 which passes through. an aperture in the bed-plate '1 and of which. the head 7 9 rests in a counter'sink formed in the upper side of said bed-plate. A, spring 80 interposed between the bed-plate 1 and the pin 77 functions to maintainthe screw-head seated upon the bed-plate. It is evident that by adjusting the screw 7 8 the frame 49 may be raised or lowered at will.

The frame 49 affords a housing for the feed-wheel driving and driven gears by being provided with a lateral flange 81 constituting a support for a cover-plate 82 secured byscrews at 83 upon said flange.- By reason of. the fact that the actuating shaft 39 is constantly rotated during the operation of the machine, the feed-wheel is rotated to con tinuously advance the work.

While in the present embodiment of the invention the driven gears are locked to the feed-wheel shaft 51, it is evident that the same result might be obtained by securing the driving gears in a similar manner to the shaft 39, and it is equally obvious that other changes and modifications may be made all within the spirit of the invention and'the scope of the appended claims.

I Having thus set forth the nature of thein j vent-ion, what I claim herein is' l. .A feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a rotary actuatingishaft, a feed-wheel carry ng shaft, constantly in-' =termesh1ng drlvlng and driven-gears uponf 5f said shafts, a detachable key for locking aselected gear to its shaft, and yielding means i for maintaining said key in only one gear lock ng 13081111011.

2. A feed-wheel actuating mechanism for sewing machines including a rotary shaft, a series of gears loosely mounted upon said shaft, means including a key effective to look only one of said gears to said shaft, said key belng replaceable by other keys each effec- 5 tive to lock one gear only to said shaft, and means for rotating the gear locked to the, shaft to thereby rotate said feed-wheel to engage and advance the work.

3. A feed-wheel actuating mechanism for sewing machines including a rotary shaft provided with a key-slot, a series of gears loosely mounted upon said shaft, a gear locking key disposed in said shaft key-slot,

yielding means for maintaining said key 85 within said shaft key-slot in only one gear a lockino: position, and means for rotating the, gear locked to the shaft.

4. A feed-wheel actuatingmechanism for sewing machines including a rotary shaft 9 provided with a key-slot, a series of gears loosely mounted upon said shaft adapted to be selectively secured upon the shaft for 1 rotation therewith, a spring disposed in said key-slot, a key disposed within said key- 9 slot having arestricted spring-engaging seat whereby said key is maintained by said spring in onlyone gear-locking position,

said keybeing replaceable by others each effective to lock one gear only to said shaft, and means for rotating the gear locked to the shaft by a key. I

5. A feed-wheel actuating mechanismfor sewing machines including a rotary feedwheel carrying shaft provided with a key v slot, a spring disposed in said slot, a series of gears loosely mounted adjacent each other upon said shaft, each providedwith a keyslot, a key detachably disposed withinv the shaft key-slot having a lug enteringa gear key-slot, said key being beveled on the side opposite said lug to provide ,a restricted spring engaging seat, means determining the gear-locking position of said key, and means for rotating said gears.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN C. RINGE. 

